Poinsettia Care during the Holidays

The care of your Poinsettia differs considerably from its growth phase through to the holiday season when your poinsettia is blooming. During the growth phase our whole purpose as growers and plant fanatics is to make sure that the Poinsettia blooms for the Christmas season. Your plant can expend an enormous amount of energy trying to produce flowers. Once it has accomplished this, the Poinsettia will stop growing and no longer need fertilizer. It is now our job to maintain its form, looks, and color for the holidays.

A common mistake is location. All too often a Poinsettia is placed atop televisions, stereo equipment, or on end tables or coffee tables near doors. All of these scenarios can either dry the soil down too quickly or create a drastic change in its environment, drafts and dry air are detrimental.

Below are general comments that should help you enjoy your Poinsettia for the Christmas season and beyond!

Light

For everyday maintenance, place them in a bright location (a spot that will cast a good shadow) out of direct light. For entertaining purposes, position your poinsettia for all to enjoy (please remember to put your poinsettia back into a bright location when the festivity is over).

Water

Allow the soil to dry between watering. The #1 cause of Poinsettia death is root rot due to over-watering. Plastic wraps (pot covers) are commonly used around the pots to decorate the plant. These do not allow for drainage and most often collect water at the base. If you need to, poke holes in the bottoms of the pot covers to allow for drainage.

Temperature

Once in bloom, the colors will last a lot longer in a cooler location. They can be maintained down to 55 degrees Fahrenheit without any harm to your plant. Just remember, the cooler the temperatures, the longer the soil will stay moist (remember the #1 cause of death). A good temperature would be approximately 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.